New House, New Bras! May 14, 2008

Woo hoo! We’re finally in the new house. Everything is pretty chaotic right now. This is our third day here and we’ve already done lots and lots of painting. The living room is now a very inviting chocolate brown color and the bedroom is starting to finally look more like candy apple red and less like a bunch of smeared strawberry jam. Pics coming as soon as I find the wires for my digital camera.

Today I received those bras that I’ve been talking about for the last few days. I ordered from Figleaves.com and I must say that the shipping was very speedy and the packaging very sturdy. And hey, here’s something cool–we weren’t home when the FedEx delivery person came, so they just left it on the porch. I know it must sound a little silly to be psyched about boxes left on one’s porch, but at the apartment we would have had to go all the way back to the office and wait for them to dig it out of their vault. Now that we’re in a (I suppose) respectable neighborhood, the FedEx dudes can leave boxes on our doorstep without fear of theft. So, you know, yay.

I’m taking the Le Mystere bras for a test drive and, so far, I like what I see. It’s a bit disconcerting because it’s molded and full-coverage, so it sort of feels like you’re wearing armor. But you really can’t beat the support and it’s nice to have some wide-ish, comfy straps. I’m not sure whether it’s the bra itself that I like so much, or the fact that I’m finally wearing undergarments in my correct size. I suppose it must be a combination of the two.

I was walking around with this sort of strange, “light” feeling… and then I realized that my breasts were actually getting adequate support and that I was able to hold my torso up without straining myself. So, yeah, I’d say that’s a pretty cool thing.

Reviews coming soon, of course. I also received the Coolmax Sports Bra and still need to take it out for a jog before sharing my opinions.

Major Appliance-buying outfit May 10, 2008

Hi, guys! So, the last few days have been very crazy with all of the packing and everything, but I’m super-psyched to tell you that yesterday we finally signed all the paper work and closed on our very own house! Yay! It’s a very cool thing, though I’m not totally sure that the fact that the husband and I really, really own something has completely sinked in.

Today we’re off to buy a washer and dryer, our very first major appliance! It’s a really big step that solidifies our transition from unattached apartment-dwellers to real, semi-responsible homeowners. Here’s my outfit for today’s major appliance hunt:

I have just woken up and haven’t actually bothered to brush my hair or put on any war paint. Such is my devotion to my craft…

I’ve had the khakis for a few years now and you may notice that they have battle scars from multiple furniture staining and room painting excursions. I still wear them outside because I think they have kind of a likeable, worn-in character about them. On top, I’m wearing my little gray puff-sleeved thing from H&M over a shirred white tank top from Old Navy. I’ve got a real jones on for layering right now. And yes, I do plan on putting on some shoes at some point, probably a sandal or something.

In bra news, on Thursday night I ordered that Le Mystere bra I’ve been talking about as well as a Coolmax Sports Bra. Do yourself a favor and click on the link–HerRoom.com has an awesome demo video of the Coolmax Sports Bra in action. You’ll find yourself wondering, “Is that bra made out of fairy guts? Because there is no damn way that it controls bouncing that much.” I had to get it. Especially since I’ve started considering upgrading my morning walk with the puppy to a morning jog with the puppy.

I’m really excited about getting these bras. Now that I’ve decided to really commit to finding bras that are appropriate for me, I’ve started to notice how my current selection is too small, rides up in the back, and tends to put a lot of strain in my shoulders. Women always say that finding their proper bra size changed their lives. I’ve upgraded a cup size and changed my band size–looks like I was way off-base when it comes to sizing up my boobies. I don’t expect the new bras to change my life (unless they can help my pick the winning lottery numbers) but I am certainly looking forward to being able to stand up straighter and have fewer neck/shoulder pains. That would be awesome.

Crocs-a-go-go May 5, 2008

Comfy shoes are really important in my line of work. I’m not doing a lot of walking, but my clients usually live in areas where the county doesn’t spend much time maintaining the sidewalks, so sporting heels or even certain styles of boots is not really a good idea.

It seems that there are two kinds of people in this world: those that wear (or would be willing to wear) Crocs… and those that hate Crocs with a fiery passion. There seems to be very little middle-ground here.

Those that revile Crocs often talk disparagingly about the clunky appearance of the shoes, the oddness of the rubber-ish material, the foot sweat, and the awkwardness of finding that you are wearing the same shoes as your 3-year-old nephew. All very valid points. Those that love Crocs praise the durability of the shoe, the easy clean-up, the variety of styles, and (above all) the absolute comfort of those soft, rubbery buggers. Again, all very valid points.

For the longest time, I hated Crocs. I refused to wear them because they just looked so damn weird. I mean, why the hell was I going to wear shoes with holes in them? But then one day, I got in my head to look for some new, comfy flip-flops and came upon these little beauties at my local sporting goods store…

And with that, I was hooked. I must say that I was immediately impressed by how cushy-comfy these guys felt. The weird little raised dots (“circulation nubs”) took some getting used to, but now I kind of like them. I’ve had these for about a year and they are as good as when I wore them home from the sporting goods store. And, you know, they really do look cute when paired with a casual outfit. I mean it. I’m all for comfort and practicality, but I wouldn’t be wearing these things if they made my feet and/or outfit look like crap. So believe me when I say they look nice. Are they as cute as a pair of Mary Janes, though? Maybe not…

Which brings me to my next Crocs purchase. I actually found these little babies on eBay. The seller had them marked as a “rare” style so I snapped them up quickly only to find that I could get them on Crocs.com, Amazon.com, and Zappos.com. I’m sure they meant “rare” as in… Oh, I don’t know.

Anyway, these are pretty cute and (of course) comfy. They do tend to make my feet look a bit wide, but I don’t find that overly concerning. I figure that women are already under so much pressure to have thin bodies that I don’t have any spare time to spend on worrying about having thin feet. My only issue with these shoes is that sometimes the little button-things where the strap attaches can dig a bit into the underside of your foot. But for some reason that doesn’t always happen, so I guess it’s not a really big deal.

I guess the only thing that consistently annoys me about these shoes is the foot sweat that comes with wearing rubber shoes with no ventilation. I combat the problem by slipping them on and off several times a day, which is very easy to do. I tried sprinkling some deodorant powder inside, but the stuff kind of gets everywhere. I say “no thanks” to looking as if I hitched a ride in a concrete mixer. Plus the powder makes walking a little more difficult (at least at first) because it creates a bit of slipperiness in the shoe.

Anyway, here’s how these look on me. Notice the wideness of my feet. It’s something I’ve learned to accept. I think it’s a little effed up that I’m so used to shoving my feet into hard little, misshappen shells that the actual shape of my feet seems unattractive to me.

 Anyway, I’m in the market for a new pair of black Mary Jane-type Crocs to complete my arsenal. I was considering just getting the black version of the above style, but then I found these and I think that I might have changed my tune…

They have the comfy Crocs sole that I have come to love, but look much more like a “real” shoe than other Crocs. They don’t have that Mary Jane look, but I think that a little variety might be good. And maybe these won’t make that weird little farting noise that the Mary Jane-type ones can sometimes make when I have a little sweat going on. I don’t know.

* All pics courtesy of the awesome folks at Zappos.com.

A Three-Way Tie on Bras April 30, 2008

So I’ve narrowed down my bra options to a few strong competitors. Each bra seems to have its own positive attributes, so I’m still weighing my options as far as fit and style go. The most relevant factor will most likely be price, however.

Here they are, in no particular order…

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Candidate A: The Playtex 18-hour Comfort Shaping Softcup

Though I’ve never been an 18-hour girl, I suppose that these bras must have something going for them if they continue to be so popular after all these years. This may not be the sexiest bra I’ve ever seen, but it certainly isn’t unattractive at all. I may need to get used to the amount of coverage it provides… But, then again, my bras have been too small for the last few years, so this might be a welcome change of pace. The price point is very good on this one–about $23 online. One concern is that it’s a softcup bra. As in, no underwire–I’m wondering if that will be ok for me. I have no experience with softcup bras, really, so I’m not sure if the lack of underwire would make a significant difference. I read a review that said that the softcup was generally more comfortable, but didn’t provide the same kind of shaping. Hmmm…

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Candidate B: The Bali Seductive Curves Seamless Underwire Bra

Another nice one. This one is a little bit more flattering than the first bra and seems like it might accomodate my scoop-neck and v-neck shirts a bit better. Reviewers generally seem to like it. And it’s got an underwire, which I guess is a good thing. Another good thing about this bra is the price. In fact, it’s about the same price as the first bra.

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Candidate C: Le Mystere Dream Tisha Seamless Underwire Bra

And here we have the best bra of all (at least it seems that way.) Oprah once reccomended this bra for full-busted women and now the manufacturer touts it as Oprah’s fave bra ever. It’s much better-looking than the first two and (I would guess) better-constructed. However, the price is significantly higher–about 70 bucks per bra, to be exact. So that means if I could get two bras (my plan) for about $140, which is a lot more cringe-worthy than two bras for about $60. The price is a little steep, though I could be saving money over time if this bra has greater longevity than the other two.

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I should probably just get some right-sized bras that I can afford right now so I can just go ahead abandon my current ill-fitting ones. The husband and I will soon be moving into our very first, real, grown-up home and so money is a little tight with all the sudden expenses. Thus, price is really the deciding factor.

But, then again, we’ve got less than two weeks left at our current crappy apartment and I probably wouldn’t order anything online right now in case we’re not there to receive the shipment. Soooo…. that means I would have to wait until next pay day (when we will be in our house–YAY!) to order anything. That also means that I’ll most likely be able to afford two of the more expensive bra.

Oh, choices. What’s really funny about all this is that I’ll probably end up getting the less-expensive bras because I’m so paranoid about unexpected costs. Go figure.

A Really Long Post about Boobs April 30, 2008

So yesterday I talked a little bit about my chronic bra troubles. Finding proper support for the twins has been an ongoing issue pretty much since they magically appeared on my body, like, a decade ago. In my case, the subject of bras is fraught with old psychological baggage—not only did I develop waaaay before any of my friends, I got to experience the joy of pervy stares from adult men and (oh boy!) the added bonus of never being able to find a bra in my size no matter how many racks my mother and I looked through.

As you may be able to tell, it’s not just ill-fitting brassieres that give me the night-sweats, it’s also my semi-negative perceptions about my ginormous boobs. In a society where being very, very thin and tiny is exalted, one doesn’t feel always feel great walking around with a set of huge knockers. Oh yes, you do get plenty of attention, but most larger-busted women will probably agree that being shamelessly leered at by nasty strangers is hardly something that inspires one to feel a rush of self-confidence.

I believe that my own body issues can be somewhat alleviated by taking a two-pronged approach. First, to simply remind myself every day that, hey, I’m a pretty good person and I shouldn’t be torturing myself for being born with a certain kind of body type. I mean, it’s not like I had much control over my own genetics.

And, second, to find a proper support system for holding up my sweater puppets. Not having to deal with pinching, bulging, and constant repositioning would certainly make me feel less resentment about having plus-size breasts on an average-sized frame.

As it turns out, a lot of my bra-finding troubles stems from the fact that I’m wearing the wrong cup-size (a very common problem.) It’s been years since I had my bra size measured and, undoubtedly, things have changed. The husband (who is always very concerned when it comes to this topic) suggested that we take a trip down to the bra section at our local department store to have my breasts scrutinized by the old lady with the measuring tape.

However, I figure that we could do just as good a job taking measurements at home and figuring it out ourselves. First of all, I don’t think that I’m emotionally secure enough yet to go to a department store and not feel like absolute dirt about my body just because they didn’t have my super-rare size in stock at that particular moment. Secondly, I don’t want to feel pressured to buy whatever it is they do have in stock in the (likely) case they only have something not-so-flattering in my size. 

I think some of you know what I mean here… It’s like, yeah, it takes a lot of material to hold these puppies up. But at least throw some lace my way. Maybe some detailing. And some other colors than white or black, for God’s sake.

So, anyway, it’s the internet for me!

Now that I have my true (I think) bra size, the search is on. More on this later. In the meantime, wish me luck!